Somalia to be in ‘state of war’ against Al Shabab

The death toll in Somalia’s deadliest attack has risen to 358 while dozens remain missing. Somalia’s president will announce a “state of war” against the Al Shabab extremist group blamed for the bombing, the prime minister said.

US support

The United States is expected to play a supporting role in the new offensive that President Mohammad Abdullahi Mohammad was set to launch later yesterday, a Somali military official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to reporters.

Somalia’s army spokesman Capt. Abdullahi Eman said the offensive involving thousands of troops will try to push Al Shabab fighters out of their strongholds in the Lower Shabelle and Middle Shabelle regions where many deadly attacks on Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, and on Somali and African Union bases have been launched.

The extremist group has not commented on the October 14 truck bombing in Mogadishu, which Somali intelligence officials have said was meant to target the city’s heavily fortified airport where many countries have their embassies. The massive bomb, which security officials said weighed between 600 and 800kg, instead detonated in a crowded street after soldiers opened fire and flattened one of the truck’s tires.

Somalia’s Information Minister Abdul Rahman Othman said late Friday that 56 people were still missing.